What happened
A mail delivery flight departed Jezqazğan at 11:39 local time, scheduled to visit several locations including Kara-Kengir, Kurgazyn, Amangeldy, Sary-Kengir, Sary-Su, and Dzhetukoshur. The single-engine airplane was transporting 368 kilograms of mail along with two pilots. While weather conditions were favorable at the start of the mission, conditions worsened significantly by the time the aircraft departed Kurgazyn.
Despite the captain's reluctance to proceed due to deteriorating visibility, the flight continued under pressure from the head of flight. During a northward cruise, the crew encountered fog, a ceiling as low as 120 meters, and blizzard conditions. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground in a snow-covered field approximately 34 km north of Urozhayny.
The crash resulted in one fatality and one injury. The captain died upon impact. The co-pilot survived the initial collision with minor injuries but was unable to contact air traffic control due to total radio failure. The survivor remained in the main cabin for approximately five days, enduring near-freezing temperatures by consuming stored food, until rescue arrived. The co-pilot later succumbed to hypothermia at a hospital on January 13.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the crew, air traffic control, and flight management made the incorrect decision to continue the flight despite the worsening weather. It was noted that no weather updates were provided to the crew before departure because no meteorological information was available for that specific region. The accident occurred while the aircraft was operating in conditions below established minimums.